


come around and talk it over

by onakissgodknows



Category: Baseball RPF
Genre: Colorado Rockies, Gen, Light Angst, Not Beta Read, but not as angsty as i expected, i just have feelings, idk how else to tag it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-08
Updated: 2018-10-08
Packaged: 2019-07-28 06:42:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16236299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onakissgodknows/pseuds/onakissgodknows
Summary: The bold number nine emblazoned on the back of DJ LeMahieu’s jersey anchors Charlie in center field.





	come around and talk it over

**Author's Note:**

> One time on the Rockies broadcast Cory Sullivan shared the fact that Charlie Blackmon calls DJ LeMahieu his "baseball compass, his true north" and ever since that moment I have been dying about these two. I didn't really write this as a shippy thing but if you want to ship them do not let me stop you and also hit me up please let's discuss. Also I wrote this really quick sorry if it's bad I just had feelings and had to wordvomit them into something fic-shaped.
> 
> Title is from "Your Love" by The Outfield because WHAT ELSE.

The bold number nine emblazoned on the back of DJ LeMahieu’s jersey anchors Charlie in center field. He can see the whole infield from here, but twenty-seven and twenty-eight move too much, Nolan and Trevor always on the balls of their feet, always bouncing around and preparing for the possibility that a ball comes their way. DJ isn’t like that, isn’t like the younger half of the infield. He patrols his side of second slowly, almost lazily, steady with a slow heartbeat, and you wouldn’t know how good he is if you didn’t _know_.

Nothing gets past DJ. It’s one of the things Charlie loves about playing center while DJ is at second. He doesn’t think there’s ever been a moment big enough to overwhelm him.

Whether DJ realizes it or not, the NLDS overwhelms them. They go inning after inning without a hit, then once they have hits they can’t score runs, and if they can’t score runs they can’t win games, so their season ends on a cloudy day in Denver, their bats as cold as the weather. It’s like somewhere along the line, this season sucked the life out of them.

There’s a lot to be proud of, Charlie knows that. It’s hard to be proud now, but maybe it’ll come later. In a few months they’ll look back on this season full of _moments_ and be happy that they accomplished so much. Now, though, the long winter looms ahead and Charlie feels like he should still be playing.

DJ comes over the day after they’re eliminated from the playoffs. It’s still cold, and it’s drizzling faintly, but they grab beers from Charlie’s fridge and go out on the balcony anyway. Summer’s over now; it ended the same day as their season and it seems right.

Charlie can see his own breath. DJ is as quiet and still as ever, and this is another thing he likes so much about DJ, and he thinks it’s what DJ likes about him. DJ doesn’t always want to talk, and Charlie never makes him. However, today it’s DJ who finally breaks the silence.

“When are you going home?” he asks, then lifts his beer bottle to his lips and drinks.

DJ means Georgia; as much as Charlie loves Denver, Georgia has been home his whole life. He shrugs. “Later this week, I guess. Gotta pack.” He hasn’t even cleaned out his locker at the ballpark yet, doesn’t think anybody has.

“Yeah,” DJ says, and Charlie knows he means his plans are the same. Packing, then home, trying to get some relaxation in before they start working out again in preparation for spring training. “Seen Nolan?”

Charlie shakes his head. “Think he’s with Jonah.”

DJ grunts in agreement. “Guess I’ll have to get in touch with him.”

Charlie realizes DJ is thinking about goodbyes.

Signing an extension with the Rockies was a no-brainer for Charlie. Not a lot of people are lucky enough to play for the same team this long, so why should he pass up an opportunity like that?

The rub, of course, is that he’s going to watch teammate after teammate depart via free agency, and there’s no rougher way to start that cycle than DJ.

They didn’t talk about it when Charlie signed his extension. They didn’t even talk about it before he signed it, when they thought they’d both be free agents at the same time. They’ve known this was coming for longer than either of them care to admit, but it’s hard to know how to respond to it.

Charlie has said goodbye to teammates before, some with far less warning, but DJ has been a Rockie as long as Charlie has, and it’s hard to imagine the team without him.

DJ, again, breaks the silence. “Sucks, doesn’t it?”

“What does?” Charlie asks, and drinks some of his beer.

“Losing.” DJ has a dark look on his face, upset with the way the series ended.

“Yeah, no shit.”

“I thought – “ DJ stops and sighs irritably, sending a puff of hot air into the cold. “Maybe it was stupid. I thought we’d do better.”

Charlie shakes his head. “I don’t think that’s stupid.”

“Me either.” DJ sounds relieved. He’s not always as calm and collected as he seems.

“You know what else sucks,” Charlie says.

“Yeah?”

Charlie gestures with his beer bottle. “You know. You. Free agency.”

“Oh yeah,” DJ says, like this hasn’t been permeating the whole conversation.

“Yeah.” Charlie is quiet again for a few moments, sipping absentmindedly, then says, “Well, maybe you’ll be back.”

“Maybe I’ll be back,” agrees DJ. He isn’t looking at Charlie, he’s just gazing at the view off the balcony. “Yeah. I’d like that.”

“Can’t end like that, can it?” says Charlie with a grin.

DJ shakes his head. “Not before we win the whole damn thing.”

“That’s the spirit.”

It’s quiet again, then: “Look, if I’m _not_ back – “  

“ _If_ you’re not,” Charlie interrupts, “it’s okay.”

DJ takes a moment thinking it over, like he thinks over everything he says. “You’ll be okay?”

“Sure, man. It’s not like you’re gonna ditch me ‘cause we’re not teammates, right?”

DJ actually grins. “Probably not.”

Charlie appreciates the honesty, and smiles back. He rests his elbows on the ledge of the balcony. “Maybe before we all go home for the winter we should get together. You, me, CarGo, Gerardo. Nolan and Trevor too.”

DJ’s leaning against the wall opposite him, and downs the last of his beer before he answers. “I think we should.”

Charlie’s smile broadens. “I’ll get in touch with everybody.”

DJ slides open the door and heads inside to throw his bottle in the recycling bin. “Thanks, Charlie.” DJ turns back to Charlie and reaches for his hand to pull him in for a hug. “Thanks for everything.” He pounds Charlie between the shoulderblades and lets go, ducking his head awkwardly like there’s too much attention on him. “I gotta go.”

DJ has never been one to overstay his welcome. “No worries, man.”

“Let me know about getting together if you want.”

“I will,” Charlie promises.

“Cool. Bye, Chuck.”

“See ya, DJ,” Charlie says, because it’s not goodbye. Not yet.

**Author's Note:**

> Charlie on DJ after losing the NLDS: "He's one of my favorite people. I would really like to see him next year, but if we don't, um, I'll - I'll see him, just maybe not in the same uniform. He's a great guy. I wish people knew him like I do." ([x](https://twitter.com/ATTSportsNetRM/status/1049107524019019776))
> 
> [writeblr](https://on-a-kiss-god-knows.tumblr.com/)


End file.
